Gateway Canyons Resort and Trails- My perspective

[R-MTBs]

Last weekend my wife and I visited Gateway. Nice resort and sweet Sedona/Moab like views. We explored the newer trails west of the resort going up a double track by the public primitive airstrip. Heading west toward Lumsdon canyon we started the Cutler Rim trail riding south. It undulates and is the outer loop that hooked into a new ST that heads to John Brown Canyon (dynamite trail or something like it). It has nice switch backs and a great mix of tight trail with good flow. Theres a small water drainage crossing at John Brown canyon. Maybe 3 mile loop total.

The internal loop is accessed passing the resort Casitas and heading up wash road. The internal Cutler rim loop is best ridden as counterclockwise as the southern descent has some ledges and steepr switchbacks. ALL in all its a good start to the proposed extensive system that could all be single tract way back into lumsdon canyon and farther north along canyons of the Dolores. I would love a peak at the GPS'd routed proposed and worked out with OTE,COPMOBA and BLM. I would content that there could be a new shuttled ST trail from top of John Brown (Gateway-Castleton Rd) back into Gateway that would rival Moab's famous Warner lake-UPS- LPS - Porcupine rim. The upper Mesas rims could also sustain Gooseberry like trail systems also. .

Anyway please encourage the resort, trail builders and mtb leaders in developing a larger sustainable legal trail system in Gateway, CO. There is plenty of double track. If its not pursued motos might take it over.

[shoulderfu]

No pics????

[Scary Mc]

OTE? I would not count on the resort to help with development until they stop hemorrhaging money and upper management unstuffs itself. Right now they are focusing more on buying/suing to get/getting sued over water rights to bring their masterplan golf course and gated community to fruitian. Really.
That said, if more is not done in the area by the BLM the area could become a moto haven. The local Jeep club and other moto-advocacy orgs are already actively lobbying the BLM to legalize routes in the Gateway area. I know of only one local MTB advocate that is actively engaging the BLM concerning routes in the Gateway area.

[singletrack]

OTE?

But without OTE we wouldn't have any trails at all!

[R-MTBs]

I thought I read in the Sentinel a while back that Troy Rarrick (Sp? ) was asked or hired as a consultant for Gateway to layout some trails or at least look at the dirt. Does anyone know if this is true? Im sure most of the work is the result of BLM Go Co, the resort and COPOMOBA.


PS Moto clubs can develop some nice trails if they stick to single track. ie west watermesa, western rim. That works too.

[slope folk]

I thought I read in the Sentinel a while back that Troy Rarrick (Sp? ) was asked or hired as a consultant for Gateway to layout some trails or at least look at the dirt.

That would be one way to win friends and influence people!

[BeanMan]

The Messiah on a journey to Discovery? Maybe that could be a reality show.

Mac, I like the subtle word play "...to fruitian..."

[RickC5]

That would be one way to win friends and influence people!

LOL! Now THAT is truly funny!!!

[drlg]

I will be in Gateway next month.
Any advice for a ~2 hr ride there? If anyone has got a map, that would be awesome too.

[singletrack]

I will be in Gateway next month.
Any advice for a ~2 hr ride there? If anyone has got a map, that would be awesome too.

No advice, but here's the map.

http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medial...ails_Color.pdf

[drlg]

No advice, but here's the map.

http://www.blm.gov/pgdata/etc/medial...ails_Color.pdf

Thanks for the map. It looks like a guy could do all the trails shown in a couple of hours pretty easily based on mileage.

Anyone have info on this trail by Uravan? Looks pretty sweet. Views of the hanging flume.

Y-11 Fiasco Mountain Bike Trail in Gateway, Colorado || SINGLETRACKS.COM

[slimat99]

Thanks for the map. It looks like a guy could do all the trails shown in a couple of hours pretty easily based on mileage.

Anyone have info on this trail by Uravan? Looks pretty sweet. Views of the hanging flume.

Y-11 Fiasco Mountain Bike Trail in Gateway, Colorado || SINGLETRACKS.COM

That trail sounds awesome! One reviewer said it was becoming grown over, and more people need to ride it to keep it open. I would love to hear from anyone that recently rode it.

[psycleworks]

Because 10 is not enough and 12 is too much!

We ride y11 fairly often. It is difficult to find the beggining of the trail in order to ride it from south to north. But totally fun to ride. Hit me up if you are headed that way maybe we can meet you.

[slimat99]

Because 10 is not enough and 12 is too much!

We ride y11 fairly often. It is difficult to find the beggining of the trail in order to ride it from south to north. But totally fun to ride. Hit me up if you are headed that way maybe we can meet you.

I'll def check in with you next time i'm in the area. Cheers!

[drlg]

Because 10 is not enough and 12 is too much!

Most trails, you're riding along at 10, but when you need a little more where can you go...nowhere.

But this trail goes to 11. One more than 10.

[Winans]

Ha! right on.

Most trails, you're riding along at 10, but when you need a little more where can you go...nowhere.

But this trail goes to 11. One more than 10.

[drlg]

I visited the resort and rode the trail system in the hills just south of the resort. It was 65 minutes from my house (GJ) to the trailhead which was much quicker than I was expecting. The drive thru Unaweep Canyon is awesome. The trails are not bad. I started at the Dynamite TH at John Brown Road which is easy to find. On the first loop, I did all the trails (except for Runway) and ended up at Entrada back at the resort. Rode back up John Brown Road and did some more riding while finishing on Runway back at the resort. The intersections are well marked. Lumsden and Runway are less broken in and cattle trails intersecting the trails make it difficult to find the true path. Nothing really technical other than narrow trails and tight curves. Climbing is nice and easy. A few sections were a little to manicured where some rocks left in place would have upped the fun factor.

I would recommend this trail system as a once a year ride or at least do it once. A guy could ride every trail twice in a couple of hours. It is well marked and easy to find for first-timers. The views are pretty awesome. The drive thru Unaweep Canyon is worth the trip alone.

[prkoski]

We just rode Y-11 yesterday and some friends have been doing maintenance on it. We did a nine mile loop. Start at the iron bridge at Uravan (Hwy 141) cross to CR Y11 and ride the road down past the confluence. After a mile or so past the confluence a large drainage comes in from the left out of Saucer Basin. Look for a steep two track which climbs away from the road. Follow for about a half mile up. There is s small rock cairn marking a single track off to the left. This is the southern portion of the Y-11 trail. Follow the ST up as it heads to the north and tops out onto sage flats. From this point the trail is a wild ride down the flats until you begin the narrow portion bringing you back to the bridge. The trail gets close to the cliff edge so use caution on this technical and demanding trail. The views of the lower San Miguel River canyon are spectacular

[TJ.]

But without OTE we wouldn't have any trails at all!

Thanks for the mood enhancement

[drlg]

Bump.

I believe that I read in a COPMOBA newsletter that the dry weather wrecked havoc on the Gateway resort trails. Trails cut on slopes vanishing due sandy conditions.

[NTsnow]

Heading down to Gateway area this weekend. Just saw your note that the Gateway trails are a little trashed. How bad is it? Should we try for one of the loops on the paradoxtrail.org website instead?
thanks

[drlg]

Heading down to Gateway area this weekend. Just saw your note that the Gateway trails are a little trashed. How bad is it? Should we try for one of the loops on the paradoxtrail.org website instead?
thanks

I think you will be fine. If memory serves me right, the were a few sections last year that were sketchy (trail sections built on very loose shaly hillsides). I would bet those are the sections that have deteriorated. Just put up with those parts to enjoy the rest. It only takes an hour to ride all the trails there so maybe add in another area trail if possible.

[NTsnow]

thanks for the reply. We're thinking of maybe adding in Red Canyon, and doing some climbing too.

[NTsnow]

Gateway trails are fun. Lots of goat heads.